Flowers are laid at the Mary Tyler Moore statue in Minneapolis to mourn the passing of the actress at age 80. Photo credit: Jack Highberger / Fox 9.

Posted: Jan 25 2017 04:38PM EST

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Flowers have already been laid at the feet of the Mary Tyler Moore statue in downtown Minneapolis. The Mary Tyler Moore Show put the city of Minneapolis on the map for millions of TV viewers. The iconic moment Mary threw her hat in the air in the opening credits is immortalized in a bronze statue in downtown Minneapolis -- a favorite photo op for visitors.

During the reconstruction of Nicollet Mall, the Mary Tyler Moore statue is currently located inside the Minneapolis Visitor Information Center at 505 Nicollet Mall, Suite 100.

Moore's first major TV role was on The Dick Van Dyke Show, but she made her trailblazing mark as one of TV's first career-woman sitcom stars in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The show followed the single Mary Richards, played by Moore, to Minneapolis where she takes a job as the associate producer of the Six O'Clock News

Mary’s apartment on the show was once declared "TV's most famous bachelorette pad" by Entertainment Weekly. The apartment was in an actual house at 2104 Kenwood Parkway in Minneapolis. The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran from 1970 to 1977.

Statement from Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton

“Mary Tyler Moore will always be a Minnesota icon. The Mary Tyler Moore Show shared Minneapolis and our entire state with the world, as a place where everyone has the chance to work hard, follow dreams, and succeed. Minnesota will miss her.”

Statement from Minnesota Lt. Governor Tina Smith

“Mary Tyler Moore was a role model for countless women and girls in the 1960s and 1970s, including me. She showed us how to survive bell bottoms, macramé and bad dates and grow into women with the careers and lives we want – and have fun in the process! In real life, she may never have called Minneapolis home, but Minnesota will always love Mary Tyler Moore and consider her ours.”

Visit the Mary Tyler Moore Statue

The Mary Tyler Moore statue is located inside the Minneapolis Visitor Information Center at 505 Nicollet Mall, Suite 100. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends. Visitors will be allowed to place flowers near the statue to commemorate the life of Mary Tyler Moore.